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This toolkit details structure and outcomes of ASTHO’s Vaccine Equity Project to help jurisdictions in their pursuit of vaccine equity.

The 2020 holiday season is coinciding with a nationwide surge of COVID-19 cases. With great concern that holiday travel to see loved ones may exacerbate community spread of the virus, many states are increasing public health measures before the winter holiday season. As of November 16, 2020, 13 states and D.C. had a quarantine requirement for out-of-state travelers. The U.S. territories also have instituted travel restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Partnering with Community Action Agencies Can Improve Trust in Vaccines astho, association of state and territorial health officials, association of state and territorial health officials astho, state health official, public health official, territorial health official, island jurisdictions, state health, health department, public health, state and territorial health, social determinants of health, johns hopkins, advance health equity, socially determined, health inequities, race ethnicity, covid-19 vaccines, health disparities, vaccine supply, high income countries, vaccine equity, vaccine distribution, vaccine hesitancy, immunization, centers for disease control, community action agencies, covid19 pandemic, at-risk populations, healthy equity Geetika Nadkarni Learn how community action teams are working to improve COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake in their own communities. In the current climate surrounding vaccinations and other large-scale public health measures, it’s more important than ever for public health to engage communities. One way to do this is through working with community action agencies (CAAs), local entities that work to reduce poverty and reduce disparities among the populations they serve. Funded through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), CAAs are an ideal complement to public health’s mission to address the social determinants of health and achieve greater equity. With support from CDC, ASTHO is working with the National Community Action Partnership and five CAAs in the Partnering for Vaccine Equity project, which aims to increase acceptance and uptake of vaccines among racial and ethnic minority groups and in rural communities. ASTHO chose to partner with CAAs as trusted community agents for this project because of their existing relationships within communities through programs such as Head Start, food banks, federal nutrition programs, and employment and housing assistance. Through their internal and external partnerships, they can reach people who may be concerned about vaccine safety and/or lack access to vaccination sites. Through this project, CAAs are partnering with residents, faith-based organizations, local schools and universities, state and local public health departments, and non-profits active in the community. They are also engaging a range of local providers, such as federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), physicians, community health workers, medical and nursing students, and emergency medical technicians (EMTs). These community action teams are working together to improve vaccine acceptance and uptake and to customize evidence-based strategies to their own communities and neighborhoods. article yes

ASTHO Helping Agencies and Providers Advance Vaccine Equity vaccine equity toolkit, community-based vaccine outreach, public health vaccine partnerships, increasing vaccine confidence, vaccine equity strategies, vaccination rates, improving vaccination, community based organizations, health equity, vaccination coverage, trusted messengers, health care, health and human services, disease control and prevention, vaccine preventable diseases, centers for disease control, increasing vaccine, covid-19 pandemic, vaccination program, immunization program, public health departments, build vaccine confidence, control and prevention cdc, united states, health systems, ASTHO, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Shalini Nair ASTHO | Highlights of ASTHO toolkit that helps health agencies and providers advance equity in their communities. Over the past several years, views on vaccination have fluctuated, with periods of widespread demand followed by waves of declining sentiment due to the spread of mis- and disinformation—ultimately contributing to worsening health disparities. Addressing immunization equity is essential to mitigating the effects of vaccine-preventable diseases among vulnerable individuals and communities who may be at higher risk for adverse outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic response provided many lessons to take forward for health equity initiatives, specifically in highlighting the importance of community-centered outreach in addressing the health care divide. Introducing: Vaccine Equity Toolkit ASTHO’s Championing Change: A Toolkit for Addressing Vaccine Equity Through Community Mobilization helps state and territorial health agencies, community leaders, and health care providers advance vaccine equity in their communities. For the past three years, ASTHO’s award-winning Partnering for Vaccine Equity initiative has supported boots-on-the-ground efforts to increase vaccine confidence, drive demand for vaccines, and facilitate vaccine uptake. Alongside the Community Action network and a diverse group of advisors, ASTHO and national and local partners have collated this comprehensive resource, which highlights the promising strategies, lessons learned, outcomes, and more from the novel collaborative. Lille Seels_ASTHO Helping Agencies and Providers Advance Vaccine Equity From the Field Snapshot The Championing Change toolkit highlights the work of five local community action agencies across Alabama, Arkansas, California, Georgia, and South Carolina, to increase uptake of vaccines in their jurisdictions. Each agency took a slightly different approach to implementation, emphasizing the importance of tailoring interventions to local community needs. The toolkit includes in-depth case studies on the standout strategies, including: Partnering with health care and public health: Palmetto Community Action Partnership engaged with their health department and a regional federally qualified health care center to help maximize the reach and impact of their services in rural South Carolina. Meeting people where they are with fact-based messaging: Enrichment Services Program leveraged the power of targeted messaging campaigns to address the underlying opinions and attitudes of community members, and cultivate discussion around vaccination across three counties in Georgia and Alabama. Leveraging existing programming and partnerships to expand reach: Community Action Program for Central Arkansas looked to their internal programmatic initiatives around early childhood education and outreach for individuals experiencing homelessness to help amplify their vaccine equity work. Since the project’s inception, ASTHO’s community action partners have held more than 450 events, engaged more than 1.5 million community members in their efforts, and administered at least 5,500 vaccinations including those for COVID-19, influenza, Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), shingles, and more. Susan Bailey_ASTHO Helping Agencies and Providers Advance Vaccine Equity Using the Toolkit State and territorial health agencies work to promote, improve, and maintain health for all. However, their ability to fulfill these responsibilities sustainably depends largely on public trust in public health institutions. One of the most effective ways to build trust is by engaging the communities most affected and leveraging existing, trusted organizations to help address the issues. Every site participating in ASTHO’s Vaccine Equity Project cultivated partnerships with their state or local health department to aid in their outreach efforts, which can transcend into other areas and stages of public health interventions. Aurora GrantWingate_ASTHO Helping Agencies and Providers Advance Vaccine Equity In Conclusion Jurisdictions can learn more about the innovative structure and outcomes from this project and implement similar partnerships that further the pursuit of equity in their communities. Access the Championing Change toolkit now. Special Thanks-Blog - ASTHO Helping Agencies and Providers Advance Vaccine Equity Padding - small 1 NU21IP000598 website yes

People exposed to adverse childhood experiences are at risk for negative physical and/or mental health outcomes, substance use disorders, and unfavorable social outcomes in adulthood. One known risk factor for ACEs is caregiver stress, including economic hardship. State legislatures have considered several policies in recent years that can improve the overall health of caregivers and reduce ACEs. Read more in this week's Health Policy Update.